System and method for repurposing layer 2 switch as a layer 1 switch

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for repurposing one or more software configurable layer 2 switches in an IP (Internet Protocal) computer network to function as a layer 1 switch. Ternary Content-Addressable Memory (TCAM) is reconfigured in each of the one or more layer 2 switches and one or more pipeline engines are routed to emulate layer 1 switching functionality in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for repurposing one or more software configurable layer 2 switches in an IP (Internet Protocal) computer network to function as a layer 1 switch comprising:
 reconfiguring Ternary Content-Addressable Memory (TCAM) in each of the one or more layer 2 switches; and   routing one or more pipeline engines to emulate layer 1 switching functionality in each of the one or more layer 2 switches.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more layer 2 switches are “bare metal” switches. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , further including disabling learning and routing functions in each of the one or more layer 2 switches. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , further including provide a lowest precedence ACL rule whereby condition is ALL PORTS and action is DENY ALL in each of the one or more layer 2 switches. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , further including preventing VLAN filtering in each of the one or more layer 2 switches. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , further including preventing packet dropping in each of the one or more layer 2 switches. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , further including activating forwarding functionality to increase latency in each of the one or more layer 2 switches. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , further including enabling Small Form-Factor Pluggable Ports (SFPs) for Transmission (TX) and Reception (RX) in each of the one or more layer 2 switches. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 1 , further including creating a multicast group such that a Port.2 is added to the created multicast group in each of the one or more layer 2 switches. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 9 , further including providing an Access Control List (ACL) rule wherein when a condition is input Port.1 an action is to redirect to the created multicast group in each of the one or more layer 2 switches. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method for repurposing a software configurable layer 2 switch in an IP (Internet Protocal) computer network to function as a layer 1 switch comprising:
 disabling learning and routing functions in the layer 2 switch;   providing a lowest precedence ACL rule in the layer 2 switch whereby condition is ALL PORTS and action is DENY ALL;   preventing VLAN filtering in the layer 2 switch;   preventing packet dropping in the layer 2 switch; and   activating forwarding functionality in the layer 2 switch to increase latency.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 11 , further including enabling Small Form-factor Pluggable ports (SFPs) in the layer 2 switch for Transmission and Reception. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 12 , further creating a multicast group such that a Port.2 is added to the multicast group in the layer 2 switch. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method as recited in  claim 13  further including providing an Access Control List (ACL) rule in the layer 2 switch wherein when a condition is input Port.1 an action is to redirect to the created multicast group. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium and one or more computer programs embedded therein, the computer programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to reconfigure a software configurable layer 2 switch in an IP (Internet Protocol) computer network to function as a layer 1 switch by:
 disabling learning and routing functions in the layer 2 switch;   providing a lowest precedence ACL rule in the layer 2 switch whereby condition is ALL PORTS and action is DENY ALL;   preventing VLAN filtering in the layer 2 switch;   preventing packet dropping in the layer 2 switch; and   activating forwarding functionality in the layer 2 switch to increase latency.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in  claim 15 , further including enabling Small Form-factor Pluggable ports (SFPs) in the layer 2 switch for Transmission and Reception. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in  claim 16 , further including creating a multicast group in the layer 2 switch such that a Port.2 is added to the multicast group. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in  claim 17 , further including implementing an Access Control List (ACL) rule in the layer 2 switch wherein when a condition is input Port.1 an action is to redirect to the created multicast group.